She looked at Tate who held three-year-old Shaye, kissing the top of her hair as she buttered a pancake one handed. Polly realized the sins of the parents hadn’t damaged those children. They’d pulled together and held tight against all odds. Tate Murphy was extraordinary. Polly couldn’t remember the last time Matt actually got worked up enough to get into a fist fight with anyone. Even with his brothers it was more of a wrestling thing and they’d get tired and do something else.

Shane had his share of fights, even Kyle. But Matthew had been her lazy boy, nothing got him passionate enough. Until Tate. She knew she should be frowning on two fights in a few months but in truth, it made her happy to know he’d found something worth fighting for.

“I vote we leave the dishes until after presents and then the men can clean up,” Polly announced to a cheer.

Everyone adjourned into the large formal living room where the tree took up most of the front windows.

Pop, Edward’s father, put on his Santa hat and began to hand out presents. The process, which in the past had taken multiple hours, lengthened as more members had been added to the family and Gramps, Polly’s father, stepped in and they double teamed the effort.

At the end, nearly four hours later, after several pots of coffee and snacks throughout, Matt stood, helping Tate to her feet.

“We’ve got a few things to tell everyone.”

Polly beamed at them and Matt slid a ring on Tate’s finger.

“Finally! When’s the date?” Cassie asked.

“Yesterday as a matter of fact. Tate and I got married yesterday at the justice of the peace in Riverton. Obviously if we’d gotten married here at city hall, you’d have all heard about it in two minutes.”

“You did not! You eloped? Why? Matthew Sebastian Chase, you should have let us plan a big wedding for you. What’s Tate going to think when we threw weddings for the other girls and not for her?”

“Aren’t you happy for us, Polly?” Tate asked.

Polly jumped up and hugged them both tight, followed by forty others. So many Tate was dizzy with all the love they showed her.

“We wanted to keep it simple and quiet and it was sort of a surprise. We’d planned to announce the engagement officially today and get married in March.”

“But I’ll be showing by then and I’m already embarrassed enough.”

Polly blinked rapidly and burst into tears, hugging Tate as she hopped up and down excitedly.

“So you’re happy then? You’re not mad that I um, got her pregnant before I married her?” Matt laughed.

“Mad? Oh Matthew, Tate, you’ve both made this day even better! A new daughter-in-law, a new grandbaby, it’s all fabulous. When are you due?”

Tate took a deep breath. “August thirteenth they think. I’m afraid to even announce it this early, we just found out for sure three days ago.” She winked at him and he kissed her hard and fast. “An accident but not so much.” She shrugged. “More like throwing caution to the wind one too many times. And this isn’t something I want to go into more detail over with all these grandparents and children in the room.”

“So you can’t throw us a wedding but you can throw me a shower if you like.” Tate hugged Polly and her sisters all hopped around squealing with delight.

“Well, you can throw a double shower.” Shane stood and pulled Cassie up with him. “We’re expecting in late July, right around Nicky’s birthday.”

Polly had to grab Edward, who laughed delightedly.

“Always have to beat me don’t you?” Matt asked Shane, grinning. “We just signed a contract to have a second story built onto the house and a back sun porch put on too. We’ll live in an apartment for a few months. They should be done by May.”

“An apartment? No, you’ll live with us!” three different people exclaimed.

Tate looked around the room. “My heart is so full. You have no idea what you all mean to me. I used to wake up in a panic when Matt and I first started dating because I was terrified it would all disappear. And then I worried my father would ruin it. But through it all, he’s been there. And you’ve all been there. All my brothers and sisters, my new family in you all. Thank you for believing in me and for believing in me and Matt. This baby couldn’t ask for more.”

Cassie hugged her and they started talking about baby stuff.

Polly stood back with Edward and looked over the room. Paper everywhere, children pushing trains and trucks, dancing around with dolls. So much love and she was so lucky to see it all, to have it all in her life.

“Each year, lamb, each year things just get better. First it was just me and you in that tiny apartment on Oak, you remember? And we had our own announcement at Christmas with Shane. And each time we brought a new baby home, our lives got bigger and better. And they grew and moved out and then Kyle brought home Maggie and so on.” He kissed Polly because he couldn’t do anything else. Smart, small, sexy and all his, Polly Chase had been the center of his world since he clapped eyes on her when he was just nineteen years old.

“I love you something fierce, Edward Chase.”

“Ditto, lamb. We’re gonna be grandparents again. I can’t wait to keep on getting older and better with you.”

“I can’t wait until everyone leaves so we can get better when we’re naked.”

Edward laughed, heart racing and thoughts wandering, just what she’d intended.